Monday, April 19, 2010

Grace Vs. Accountability

Live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

Colossians 1 : 10 |

Last night at small group the focus again was on giving grace to those around you as a reflection of the grace you have received. Don't look for easy solutions but look for the heart of the problem. Me being me, asked everyone where accountability came in? One of the husbands starting laughing because he said his wife (who wasn't there) would've asked the same question. (it's not just me)There is a lot in the New Testament about holding each other accountable and it is something I have been thinking about lately. Mostly in terms of Jennifer Knapp. I am excited about her return to music but then someone sent out an admonishment about her because she is only calling herself a "person of faith" and is living an "alternate" lifestyle. It was suggested she had denied Christ by the relationship she had chosen. Has she lost the grace that was freely given her? I know our pastor from Palm Bay that is now in PA would argue that she never had the grace in the first place. This isn't a time when I'm willing to pick up a stone.

If there is something we have to do, then it isn't grace anymore...is the pleasing of Christ, spoken about in Colossions our works or is it our faith?Grace vs. Accountability?But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him 2 Cor. 2:14

4 comments:

Good golly miss molly! Today was the day that I decided to catch up on blogs and try to get back to my normal routine since I've been out of touch for a few weeks. I picked a doozie of a day....grace vs. accountability. That's a tough one. At one point does grace become enabling ...... and at one point does accountability become cruel? It's a delicate balance between the two, but where is the line? In our own lives, God gives us the grace to forgive us our sins... but we still have to suffer the consequences of our actions. How do we apply that to those around us... and is it even our place to do so? Whoa nelly.... one question, leads to another question which leads to another question.

Right after reading this a girlfriend of mine called about this exact same issue! She had been extending grace for a year and half basically financially supporting another family and when she just said enough already and tried to hold them accountable, there was some backlash about them not showing grace.... Grace vs. Accountability right there...

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"There is always plenty to complain about if your life is controlled by your feelings. But there is always much more to thank God for if you life is controlled by your dwelling on His faithfulness, His love and His mercy."~ Elisabeth Elliott ~

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